The Church Representation Rules (Amendment) (No. 1) Resolution 1989

Appeals

12.  For rule 36 there shall be substituted–

“ENROLMENT APPEALS

36.— (1) There shall be a right of appeal with regard to–

(a) any enrolment, or refusal of enrolment, on the roll of a parish or the registers of lay or clerical electors;

(b) the removal of any name, or the refusal to remove any name, from the roll of a parish or the registers of lay or clerical electors.

(2) The following persons shall have a right of appeal under this rule–

(a) a person who is refused enrolment on the roll or register;

(b) a person whose name is removed from the roll or register; or

(c) any person whose name is entered on the roll or register who wishes to object to the enrolment or removal of the name of any other person on that roll or register.

(3) In an appeal concerning the roll of a parish, notice of the appeal shall be given in writing to the lay chairman of the deanery synod and in an appeal concerning the register of lay or clerical electors notice of the appeal shall be given in writing to the Chairman of the House of Laity or the Chairman of the House of Clergy of the diocesan synod as the case may be.

(4) Notice of appeal shall be given not later than fourteen days after the date of enrolment, removal or refusal or if the appeal arises on the revision of the roll or register or the preparation of a new roll or register, not later than fourteen days after the first publication of the revised or new roll or register.

(5) In any appeal arising under this rule the chairman of the House concerned of the Diocesan Synod or the lay chairman of the deanery synod, as the case may be, shall within fourteen days refer any appeal to the bishop’s council and standing committee of the diocese unless within that period the appellant withdraws the appeal in writing. The said bishop’s council shall appoint three or a greater number being an odd number of their lay members or clerical members as the case may be to consider and decide the appeal.

ELECTION APPEALS

36A.— (1) There shall be a right of appeal with regard to–

(a) the allowance or disallowance of any vote given or tendered in an election of a churchwarden or in an election under these rules or to a body constituted under or in accordance with these rules;

(b) the result of any election of a churchwarden or of any election or choice held or made or purporting to be held or made under these rules, or any election or choice of members of a body constituted under or in accordance with these rules.

(2) The following persons shall have a right of appeal under this rule–

(a) an elector in the said election;

(b) a candidate in the said election; or

(c) the chairman of the House of Laity or of the House of Clergy of the diocesan synod or, in an election to the House of Laity of the General Synod, the chairman and vice-chairman of that House of Laity provided that if both such offices are vacant at the time of the appeal the persons who held such offices immediately before dissolution of the General Synod shall be deemed to hold that office if they have been re-elected to the General Synod.

(3) The provisions of this rule (except paragraph (5)), insofar as they confer a right of appeal by any person referred to in paragraph (2) above against the result of an election and provide for notice of an appeal and the determination thereof, shall apply in relation to an election to the House of Laity of the General Synod by the diocesan electors of the diocese in Europe.

(4) In the case of an appeal arising out of an election to the House of Laity of the General Synod or the diocesan synod notice of the appeal shall be given in writing to the chairman of the House of Laity of the diocesan synod. In any other case concerning the laity, notice of the appeal shall be given in writing to the lay chairman of the deanery synod. Notices under this paragraph shall be given:

(a) in the case of an appeal against the allowance or disallowance of a vote, not later than fourteen days after such allowance or disallowance;

(b) in the case of an appeal against the result of an election or choice, not later than fourteen days after the result thereof has been announced by the presiding officer.

(5) An error in the electoral roll or the registers of clerical or lay electors shall not be a ground of appeal against the result of any election unless–

(a) either it has been determined under this rule that there has been such an error or the question is awaiting determination under rule 36; and

(b) the error would or might be material to the result of the election;

and the allowance or disallowance of a vote shall not be a ground of appeal against the result of an election unless the allowance or disallowance would or might be material to the result of the election.

(6) An error in the electoral roll of a chaplaincy or in the register of lay electors in the diocese in Europe shall not be a ground of appeal against the result of an election to the House of Laity of the General Synod by the diocesan electors of that diocese unless–

(a) either it has been determined under the rule which applies in that diocese and corresponds with rule 36 that there has been such an error or the question is awaiting determination under that rule; and

(b) the error would or might be material to the result of that election;

and the allowance or disallowance of a vote shall not be a ground of appeal against the result of such an election unless the allowance or disallowance would or might be material to the result of the election.

(7) An appeal arising out of an election or choice of members of the House of Laity of the General Synod shall within the period of fourteen days of the appeal being lodged, be referred to the Standing Committee of the General Synod unless within that period the appellant withdraws the appeal in writing. Subject to paragraph (8) hereof, the said Standing Committee shall appoint three or a greater number, being an odd number, from an appeal panel consisting of the lay members of the said Standing Committee and such of the Dean of the Arches and Auditor, the Vicar General of the Province of Canterbury and the Vicar General of the Province of York as are not in Holy Orders to consider and decide the appeal.

(8) Where the chairman or vice-chairman of the House of Laity has given notice of appeal as provided by paragraph (2)(c) above or where a member of the Standing Committee comes from the diocese to which the appeal relates, he shall not be appointed to hear the appeal.

(9) In any appeal arising under this rule except an appeal arising out of an election to the House of Laity of the General Synod, the Chairman of the House of Laity of the diocesan synod or the lay chairman of the deanery synod, as the case may be, shall refer any appeal to the bishop’s council and standing committee of the diocese.

(10) In any appeal arising under this rule to the House of Clergy of the diocesan synod the Chairman of the House of Clergy of the said synod shall refer any appeal to the bishop’s council and standing committee of the diocese who shall appoint three or a greater number, being an odd number, of their clerical members to consider and decide the appeal.

36B.   For the purpose of the consideration and decision of any appeal under rules 36 and 36A, the persons appointed to consider and decide the appeal–

(a) shall consider all the relevant circumstances and shall be entitled to inspect all documents and papers relating to the subject matter of the appeal and be furnished with all information respecting the same which they may require;

(b) shall give to the parties to the appeal an opportunity of appearing before them in person or through a legal or other representative;

(c) shall have power at any time to extend the time within which a notice of appeal is given;

(d) shall, unless by consent of the persons appointed the appeal is withdrawn, determine the matter at issue and, in an election appeal shall determine whether–

(i) the person or persons whose election is complained of was or were duly elected;

(ii) the facts complained of amount to a minor infringement of the rules which did not affect the outcome of the election in which event the appeal shall be dismissed; or

(iii) the election was void. The determination so certified shall be final as to the matters at issue and, in any case in which there has been no valid election, the members shall direct a fresh election to be held and shall give such directions in connection therewith as they may think necessary;

(e) shall have power at any time to consent to the withdrawal of the appeal by an appellant subject to a determination in respect of costs in accordance with paragraph (f) hereof;

(f) shall have power to direct that any party to an appeal shall be entitled to payment of costs by any other party or by the diocesan board of finance and to direct that a party shall be responsible for the reasonable expenses of the persons appointed to hear the appeal; save that in so far as the same have not been paid by any other person, the diocesan board of finance shall pay all expenses of the persons appointed to hear the appeal provided that the said board shall first be satisfied that they are reasonable in amount.”